<p>OP … I bet “soozievt” whose daughter attended Brown and studied architecture can provide some helpful info</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the gems of information!
@MiamiDAP- I’d prefer interior design to graphic design. However, the top 20 schools don’t offer any of the two.</p>
<p>Actually, I’d prefer a non-professional degree, i.e., a BA or BS. My first choice major is not a very lucrative one and that’s precisely why I wanna go for a double major (the second major being architecture). If I, after graduation, feel that I am not able to find suitable work in my chosen field (the first major), I shall go for M.Arch. Does this sound like a good idea?</p>
<p>@3togo- BTW, I did send an email to soozievt.</p>
<p>" My first choice major is not a very lucrative one and that’s precisely why I wanna go for a double major (the second major being architecture). If I, after graduation, feel that I am not able to find suitable work in my chosen field (the first major), I shall go for M.Arch. Does this sound like a good idea? "</p>
<p>Depends on financial aid, etc. If you are taking out substantial loans for undergrad, and then are going to have to borrow for the M Arch, thats a lot of debt to carry as a young architect. You aren’t somehow under the impression that architecture is a lucrative field, are you?</p>
<p>Well, it’s definitely more lucrative than the other field of study (not extremely lucrative, yes, I’m aware).</p>
<p>whats the other field of study?</p>
<p>BTW, the portfolio I shall submit is likely to consist of photographs (mostly) and a few drawings/sculptures. Would this do? What else can/should I include?</p>
<p>I have made some floor-plans and architectural models (CAD stuff), can I add them to the file?</p>
<p>The other field of study is theater.</p>
<p>"BTW, the portfolio I shall submit is likely to consist of photographs (mostly) and a few drawings/sculptures. Would this do? What else can/should I include?</p>
<p>I have made some floor-plans and architectural models (CAD stuff), can I add them to the file? "</p>
<p>It varies - RPI accepted a portfolio like the above, and specifically discouraged CAD type stuff. Other schools encourage CAD stuff.</p>
<p>For a BA in Arch, you usually will not need a portfolio, not till you apply for the M Arch. </p>
<p>Yeah, I guess Arch is more employable than theater, in the sense that (in normal times) B Arch and M Arch graduates do usually get full time jobs. I still am not sure the word lucrative applies, in any sense. I mean in normal times a theater major with some education credits could get a job teaching theater or english in a public school, I guess, and probably earn about as much as a freshly minted architect grad.</p>
<p>Yes, you’re right. BTW, I’ll be applying to both national universities as well as liberal arts colleges. Since most of the LACs don’t offer architecture, I guess I’d choose English and theater double major for them. Does this make sense?</p>
<p>Did your daughter take AP Calculus AB/BC in high school?</p>
<p>“I’d prefer interior design to graphic design. However, the top 20 schools don’t offer any of the two.”</p>
<p>You mean, you do not want to go to top one for your major? You want to go to general top 20? My S. is a Graphic Designer. When he was applying to colleges (very long time ago), he researched which ones are tops for Graphic Design. His design college included both Architecture and Interior design. Do you want to tailor you future to what top colleges offer? If so, it is OK, it is just not what most people do. But, again my S. knew exactly what he wanted, he did not consider anything else.</p>
<p>Well, I am applying to most of the top schools and a few safeties. I’m particularly looking at the need-blind schools. As mentioned earlier, I wanna go for a double-major. Hence, a top school for any one of the majors wouldn’t be the most suitable for me. I’d rather look at top schools in general.</p>
<p>DD did take BC calc, and scored a 5. We think RPI liked that.</p>
<p>If you KNOW you want to do design, you should probably focus on that, without regard to if its a general top school. If your numbers are great there’s Cooper Union, which is pretty selective/intense, and is free. OTOH no theater, and no general liberal arts education (I guess they will let you take LA courses at NYU, but I don’t know how realistic that is)</p>
<p>If you don’t really know what you want to do, and can get into the top schools, they can be very good choices. Columbia is one of the most generous, IIUC, and you can do an Arch major there (I think taking courses at Barnard). If you can avoid undergrad loans that would make the M Arch loans much less of a deterrent. </p>
<p>OTOH if you are undecided as to your major, etc, I am not sure that I would spend too much time now worrying about things like a portfolio, etc.</p>
<p>Make sure that school takes portfolio. My S. spent both time and $$ making his just to learn that his college does not take it.</p>
<p>Well, I’m an international student (I don’t think I mentioned this earlier). This makes things quite different for me.</p>
<p>I would anyway be submitting an arts supplement to colleges, so I guess the portfolio thing shouldn’t be much of an issue.</p>
<p>@MiamiDAP- If the school doesn’t take a portfolio, I’ll include it in the Commonapp arts supplement.</p>
<p>intstud,
It was 20 years ago for my S. No Commonapp, no portfolio for the best artist in his HS. Well, he got in, the end result was posistive, but only after some people cancelled.</p>
<p>Where did he get in? What is your son doing now?</p>
<p>Are you planning on getting a job in the States (I know nothing about immigration procedures, etc) or going back to India? If the latter, I would talk to some architects over there to determine if getting a degree in the US is worthwhile.</p>
<p>I want to work in the US (though architecture isn’t my “first choice” field). I don’t mind traveling a lot for work, whether it’s in US or any other country.</p>
<p>Also, I’m not absolutely determined to get full-time employment. I don’t wanna permanently reside in the US, for sure.</p>